By Marco Aquino and Lucinda Elliott
LIMA (Reuters) -Peru’s new president Jose Jeri, who vaulted into power late on Thursday after the sudden impeachment of his predecessor, is one of the youngest heads of state globally – and one who has already had a bumpy ride on his way to the top.
The 38-year-old conservative lawmaker from the Somos Peru party was sworn in on Friday, replacing unpopular Dina Boluarte, and tasked with tackling deep public frustration over corruption, economic insecurity, and rising crime.
With no vice president in office, Jeri, who became congressional president in July, was next in line. He now leads a transition government set to run through July 2026, becoming Peru’s seventh president in nine years.
In his first address to Congress, Jeri struck a hardline tone on public safety. “The main enemy is out there on the streets: criminal gangs,” he said, pledging to “declare war on crime.”
Jeri was born to a middle-class family in the Peruvian capital Lima. He graduated from the state-run Federico Villarreal National University in 2014 and later earned a law degree from a private university in Lima.
Jeri joined Somos Peru in 2013 while studying law and twice ran unsuccessfully for municipal office in Lima.
In 2021, he ran for and failed to win a congressional seat but as a substitute legislator ended up taking the seat of Martin Vizcarra, from the same party, who was disqualified from taking public office.
Jeri became head of Congress in July 2025.
In January, he was accused of sexual assault by a woman who attended a party in December 2024. The case was shelved in August by the attorney general, citing a lack of evidence. Jeri denies any wrongdoing.
Local media outlets, citing sources with direct knowledge of the matter, have accused him of asking companies for payments in return for favors. Jeri denies the allegations and has expressed his willingness to cooperate with any investigation.
Representatives from Congress and the presidency were not immediately available for comment.
“He’s surrounded by controversies,” said Jo-Marie Burt, a visiting professor at Princeton University’s Latin America program.
Jeri’s limited experience could also leave him vulnerable to pressure from more seasoned politicians, say analysts like Nicholas Watson, managing director at political risk consultancy Teneo.
“There are legitimate fears that Jeri could be open to manipulation from powerful parties in Congress,” he said.
“But first, he needs to survive any protests that occur in the next few days.”
Demonstrations against Boluarte’s government erupted in late September following an unpopular pension reform, compounding long-standing anger toward the president and Congress. Boluarte left office with approval ratings between 2% and 4%.
An imminent test for Jeri could come on October 15, when anti-government groups were planning further large-scale protests against Boluarte. It was unclear on Friday whether the protests would still go ahead.
The precedent is sobering: Manuel Merino, another congressional president elevated after an impeachment in 2020, lasted only five days.
“Political waters have become choppier,” said Watson. Peru’s horizon “looks even less clear,” he said.
(Reporting by Marco Aquino. Writing by Lucinda Elliott; Editing by Christian Plumb and Rosalba O’Brien)
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